Kirk Charles used "The Wiz" when he was starting out (long before the movie of the same name) and then when he decided to use his own name he had a problem in that all his press clippings talked about "The Wiz" and not Kirk Charles.

I also recall reading about a guy from Canada named Dave Vernor who's name was misspelled in a press account and he ended up using the misspelled name.

I spent a lot of time worrying about a stage name. I will not list the dopey names I came up with. The truth is, in the end, Pete is right. Work on your skills and the people will like you - no matter what your name is (with the possible exception of Archibald Leach. I think Mr. Grant made the right choice :D ) So, now, I use my own name...but since my last name is frequently mispronounced, maybe I should change it to Carrie Grant ;)

Nicholas is the third most popular English name and Johnson is the second.

A performer's name is their brand name, it needs to be memorable and exciting. Nicholas J. Johnson is OK but I also act as an agent (www.funnybones.com.au) and I would like to seperate my two roles. It confuses clients when the guy who organisies their entertainment is also the guy doing card tricks.

I not only represent myself, I also represent other performers. It takes a lot of explaining to get clients to understand I am both an entertainment agent and a performer. I think some of them have a problem with the whole jack of all trades, master of none thing.

I may well not take a stage name but it is good to consider the options now rather then later. I think JAck Diamond would be great because you could get a lot of comic milage for people asking whether it is your real name.

Pick a name and use it if you're unhappy with your own. If you choose or were born with a name close to/identical with someone else's name, be prepared for confusion and legal hassles (Greg Wilson/Gregory Wilson).

I worked for most of my life in the radio world. Matthew Field is my legal name now, but it is not the name I received at birth.

FWIW, I used to call myself Nemak the Magician, which was just my last name Kamen spelled backwards. Of course, I was 9 years old at the time. Later, a post-adolescent magical friend of mine chose his professional name after the street where I grew up -- not out of any particular affection for me (although we were good friends), but because he liked the way it sounded. He was an excellent performer, and it was a catchy name! I am not sure this anecdote is much help to you but then I do not think there is any formula to choosing a stage name. Authors frequently choose pen names and it is no more a science.

I worked for most of my life in the radio world. Matthew Field is my legal name now, but it is not the name I received at birth.

Gee, Matt! My real full name is Brian Wendell Morton and I spent a good part of my career in radio. And when I asked to use my full name (there is another Brian Morton who is a regularly published author and jazz writer), my boss said, "No. Too long. And it'll sound like we've got a damned Supreme Court Justice on the air..."

I sat in with a band at the Loudon Superbike race a couple of years back and the singers name (and he took great delight in telling us it was his real name as he introduced the band) was Mike Hollywood!

When I first started working the Magic Castle in 1976, Billy McComb stumbled over my name every time he introduced me. My real name is Whitney Hadden, and Whit Hadden was for some reason hard for Billy to get out.

One night as I was packing up, Billy said, "Whit. The Professor, Joe Cassari, Kuda Bux and I are going out to the Copper Kettle to get a bite to eat. Care to join us?"

Boy, did I. As soon as food was ordered they all turned on me and started trying to convince me to change my name. Whit Hayden would be easier to pronounce Billy thought. Joe said "You don't want to get confused with Pat Haden or Tom Hayden though. Spell it different." Vernon said "Spell it like Haydn the composer, and just pronounce it like Hayden. Four letters over five looks great on a marquee, and you'll get that asscociation." "Nobody will ever spell it right at first, and then they'll never forget it..."

Well the arguments went on for quite a while, and finally I was convinced. My new name would be Whit Haydn. The success of my career was assured.

When I got home at nearly 4 am, my wife Debra was waiting for me. She was furious. "I thought you were dead on the highway. Where the hell have you been? Why didn't you call."

I explained the best I could, then told her how important this was going to be for us, and what arguments all the great heroes of magic had made for changing my name. She finally settled down.

Later that week she was sitting at the Palace Bar when Billy McComb walked out of my show, came right up beside her (he hadn't met her yet) and turned to the bartender, "Big Ed. That young Walt Whitman has the finest linking ring routine. It is just hysterical..."

Two seconds later my wife was coming through the dressing room door like a harpie, "McComb doesn't know you from Adam. Where were you til 4 o'clock the other night?"

FWIW, I used to call myself Nemak the Magician, which was just my last name Kamen spelled backwards.

Michael, am I correct in assuming that you're not that Michael Kamen (as in the composer who wrote, among other movie music, the music for "Everything I Do (I Do It For You)" for Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves, and who arranged the score of Pink Floyd's "The Wall")?

On another note, tying in with the earlier mention of not sounding like a porn name, I'd suggest that "Jack Diamond" screams porn actor to me. Although my all time favorite porn name still has to be John Dough!

On another note, tying in with the earlier mention of not sounding like a porn name, I'd suggest that "Jack Diamond"screams porn actor to me. Although my all time favorite porn name still has to be John Dough!

Speaking of porn names...

Ever wonder what YOUR porn name would be were you to have chosen that path? Simple. Your first name is the same as the name of your first pet. Your last name is the name of the street you live on currently.

Ever wonder what YOUR porn name would be were you to have chosen that path? Simple. Your first name is the same as the name of your first pet. Your last name is the name of the street you live on currently.

This is just great...my name would be Pokey Melpar. Who'd want to see a porn movie starring Pokey Melpar?